Already known in the prior art are methods enabling fulfillment of a multiplicity of orders. Many of the methods are based on the following principle: “the order will search for the product.” This is the case notably of the so-called “picking” methods and their variants.
Known also in the prior art is the distribution method which is based on the opposite principle: “the product is directed to the order”. In this latter method, the received products are sorted by reference. Then the preparer takes each reference one by one and places the products on the corresponding order shipping supports. When all of the references have been distributed all of the orders are ready. The products in stock are collected in a global manner so that they also can be distributed reference by reference. This method is very productive in certain particular cases.
However, generally speaking, distribution of products is not effected for fewer than 20 orders or more than 60 orders. These thresholds condition the capacity to be productive. The references are distributed one after the other on the same supports which generates an accumulation of the distribution time and a saturation facing the order shipping supports.
Thus, when it is desired to process a large number of orders over a very short period of time (for example, 5,000 orders per day) corresponding to 35,000 references in stock and 200,000 references incoming on a just in time basis, the distribution method is obviously completely inadequate.
It would be possible to launch orders by waves of 50—i.e., 100 waves—and then to effect distribution after sorting the references. However, the small number of products per reference and per wave would make the system completely absurd and industrially unattainable.
FR 2 671 201 and corresponding EP 494 014 disclose a method for preparing lists of objects to be loaded into containers, according to which the objects are collected by predetermined quantities in boxes of multiple means of storing objects respectively, and preparation relative to one of the stocking means is assisted by the means for controlling objects that can be moved before the storage means.
That method performs weighing the quantity of objects collected in a box directly from the container loaded with these objects to reduce handling operations and enable loading of exactly the specified quantity of objects. This is thus a method which controls the quantity and quality of products distributed by means of a robot. Nevertheless, this method is not suitable either for processing a large number of orders in a very short period of time.
Also known in the prior art are devices for the distribution of products by identifying each product by reading an identification means of the bar code type. U.S. Pat. No. 5,881,890 discloses a device for distributing mail. It is constituted of an equipment unit having a multiplicity of compartments each associated with a signalization means, each signalization means being controlled in an unequivocal and definitive manner as a function of the product identification during handling. Each compartment corresponds to a single type of product and each type of product is associated with a single compartment.
This system is suited to sorting mail in which a compartment whose content is then distributed into a mail carrier bag intended for a locality only comprises mail of a single type, i.e., bearing the same postal code. This type of equipment, however, is not suitable for the preparation of specific orders in which each package contains articles different from that of the other packages.